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If you have been looking at pre-owned cars lately, you may have noticed that some of them are designated as being “certified.” A certified pre-owned vehicle is simply one that is part of a certification program, meaning that it has met certain standards for quality. The muddy the waters somewhat, certified pre-owned (CPO) programs can be further divided into “dealer CPO” and “factory CPO” programs. While any car dealer, either franchised or independent can offer a “dealer CPO” program, only a franchised dealer can offer a factory CPO program. For example, for a used Toyota to become a Toyota certified pre-owned vehicle, it undergoes a 170-point inspection. To be up to standard, a Toyota CPO vehicle cannot be more than six model years old or have more than 75,000 miles on it. Among other items, the tire tread and brake pads must both be 50% or better, and no more than two body panels can have had prior paintwork (even by a professional bodyshop). Because the tires and brakes have a high minimum requirement, many CPO Toyotas actually have new tires and brake pads installed so that they can pass the CPO inspection, providing a higher quality used car to the customer. Every factory CPO program is a little bit different, but they all have standards published online, and come backed by the manufacturer. By contrast, the “house” certification programs that some independent dealers offer can be a bit more opaque. Factory-certified pre-owned cars do not just provide peace-of-mind and higher quality, there are other benefits to the CPO program as well, such as better warranties, and sometimes, reduced interest rates. For example, a CPO Toyota comes with the balance of a 7-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, a 12-month/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, and a full year of roadside assistance. Additionally, Toyota CPO models are eligible for special financing rates. We have embraced the factory CPO programs for Toyota, Scion, Ford, Lincoln, and Hyundai because we believe that these vehicles deliver the very best value to our customers. By starting with a superior product and being able to offer better warranties and lower interest rates, we hope to take the unknowns out of buying a pre-owned vehicle.

It's here! At long last, the highly-anticipated 2016 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 has arrived at Irwin Toyota! This gorgeous 2016 Tacoma Access Cab 4x4 in Blazing Blue Pearl is powered by the all-new 3.5L V6 engine that cranks out an impressive 278 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque. It is equipped with the SR5 Appearance Package, which includes 16" alloy wheels and color-keyed over fenders. For safety and convenience, this Tacoma comes standard with a rear backup camera and the Star Safety System which includes Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control, Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Brake Force Distribution, Brake Assist, Smart Stop Technology (SST) Driver and Front Passenger Advanced Airbag System Seat-Mounted Side and Side Curtain Airbags. The exterior of this Tacoma features an all-new grille, projector beam headlights, power side mirrors, 6.1-foot composite bed with a lockable and removable tailgate deck-rail system with adjustable tie-down cleats. It also has the Tow Package with a Class IV towing receiver hitch, ATF cooler, trailer-sway control, and 4 & 7-Pin connector with converter.

Scion is pulling out all the stops for the launch of its two newest nameplates, the iM hatchback and iA sedan. Just in time for launch, Scion has announced some very competitive lease programs as well as extremely low interest rates for up to 60 months! You can lease the Scion iA sedan for only $129 a month for 24 months with $2,999 due at signing, or $169 a month for 36 months with only $1,999 due at signing! If you would prefer to buy this economical sedan rather than lease it, Scion is offering 0.9% APR for up to 60 months, or 1.9% APR for up to 72 months! This is the first time in its history that Scion has offered a subvented rate on a 72-month loan. If you would prefer the sporty new iM hatchback, then you will love being able to lease it for only $163 per month for 24 months with $2,999 due at signing, or for 36 months at $199 a month with only $1,999 due at signing. You can buy this stylish new offering with a special financing rate of only 1.9% for up to 60 months. Irwin Scion is pleased to announce that we even have enhanced offers on our existing Scion tC’s. These sporty coupes can be leased for only $147 per month for 24 months with $2,999 due at signing, or $179 per month or 36 months with $1,999 due at signing. The Scion iM will be a sporty, "hot hatch" that will appeal to a wide audience

The completely redesigned 2016 Toyota Tacoma in Blazing Blue Pearl Irwin Toyota is proud to announce that its very first 2016 Toyota Tacoma will be arriving in September! Completely redesigned for the 2016 model year, the Tacoma is going to build on its hard-earned reputation for reliability and longevity, while improving performance and fuel efficiency. Our very first 2016 Tacoma will feature the all-new motor, a 3.5L V6, which will replace the current 4.0L V6. The 3.5L cranks out 270 horsepower, compared to 236 produced by the outgoing 4.0L V6. In addition to producing about 10% more power than the 4.0L motor, the 3.5L will get better fuel economy, and is expected to be closer to the EPA ratings on the current 2.7L I4. The 2016 Tacoma will feature three new colors: Quicksand, Inferno, and Blazing Blue Pearl. The Tacoma that will be arriving on our lot in September will be Blazing Blue Pearl, the same color found on its big brother, the 2016 Tundra which will be arriving around the same time. In term of a medium-hued Quicksand will replace Pyrite. For those looking for a truck that commands attention, Inferno will be a popular choice. Inferno was initially offered last year exclusively for the TRD Pro line, but due to the overwhelming popularity of the color, Toyota has made Inferno available on both the 2016 Tacoma and the 2016 Tundra. Our 2016 Tacoma will feature the Off Road Package, which includes Bilstein shocks, locking rear differential, multi-terrain select, hill-start assist, 16” alloy wheels, TRD decals, and more. Inside, this truck will feature high-end amenities like a 7” high-resolution touch screen, Entune premium audio with app suite, Navigation, and push button start. In terms of fit and finish, the new Tacoma will have a quieter cabin than the outgoing model, thanks to a floor silencer pad, multi-layer acoustic windshield, sound-absorbing headliner, and enhanced seals. In keeping with the new era of social sharing, every single Tacoma will now come standard with a GoPro mount located near the rear-view mirror. So whether you are off-roading, getting a job done, or just going for a scenic drive, you can record and share your Tacoma experience with all your friends. Be sure to look for the all-new 2016 Toyota Tacoma at Irwin Toyota this September!

The 2016 Toyota Tundra will be arriving at Irwin Toyota in September! The very first Tundra that we will be an Extended Cab SR5 4x4 powered by the 5.7L V8 and featuring the TRD Off-Road package. It will feature a striking color, named Blazing Blue, which is completely new to the 2016 model year. The blue paint will be nicely set off by the addition of 18-inch split 5-spoke alloy wheels with black accents. The interior will feature such options as Entune Audio Plus with Connected Navigation. This is a 7-inch high resolution touch screen display with advanced voice recognition, that will feature music streaming via Bluetooth, hands-free phone capability, Connected Navigation Scout GPS Link, integrated back-up camera, and much more! The TRD Off-Road package provides upgraded 18-inch wheels, trail-tuned Bilstein shock absorbers, engine skid plate, fuel tank skid plate, rear side privacy glass, and a bed side decal. The SR5 Upgrade package adds a larger 38-gallon fuel tank, replaces the front bench seat with bucket seats, adds a floor-mounted shift knob, and adds goodies like an auto-dimming rear mirror with compass, a HomeLink universal transceiver, and an anti-theft system including an engine immobilizer. As far as the specs go, this 2016 Tundra will deliver 381 horsepower and 401 lb-ft of torque thanks to its 5.7L i-FORCE V8 DOHC 32V and 6-speed automatic transmission. It has a 4.30 rear differential, tow mode, heavy duty battery and alternator, and much more! This gorgeous blue truck is scheduled to be built at Toyota's manufacturing plant in San Antonio, Texas on August 8, and will arrive in New Hampshire in early September!

Irwin Toyota Scion is pleased to announce that our very first Scion iA is scheduled to be built on July 16th and will arrive in August! This sporty sub-compact will have Graphite paint with a mid blue and black interior. With an MSRP of $17,570, the iA promises to deliver plenty of bang for the buck! The iA offers a 7-inch color touch-screen display with voice recognition, hands-free phone and music streaming thanks to Bluetooth, push button start, 16-inch alloy wheels, halogen headlamps, power windows, locks, and mirrors with LED turn signals, plus much more and a whole host of safety features! Powered by a 1.5L, 106 horsepower 4-cylinder engine, this sedan is expected to achieve 42 mpg on the highway. Be sure to stay on the lookout for the all-new Scion iA at Irwin Toyota Scion! This sporty little sedan will be here before you know it. And it will be sure to turn some heads when it arrives!

We just got our Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro! This stunning white SUV is the ultimate vehicle for your driving enjoyment both on and off the road! Its gorgeous white paint is nicely accented by black badging, 17-inch black matte TRD alloy wheels, black bezel headlights, and an aggressive grille. This 4Runner is equipped to do some serious off-roading, and comes with Nitto Terra Grappler all-terrain tires and a ¼-inch aluminum front skid plate stamped with the TRD logo. The 4Runner TRD Pro packs some serious oomph thanks to a 4.0L, 270-horsepower V6 that delivers 278 lb-ft of torque and is connected to a 5-speed automatic transmission. This SUV has an electronic locking rear differential to keep you in control even in extreme off-road conditions. Add in the convenience of Multi-Terrain Select and Crawl Control, and you are looking at an off-road monster that is just waiting to devour some serious trail! If you are taking on some aggressive terrain, you will want a suspension system that is up to the challenge. That is why the 4Runner TRD Pro comes with a TRD-tuned 2.5-inch TRD Bilstein coil-over-shock setup matched to TRD-tuned springs up front. The rear suspension has 2-inch TRD remote-reservoir Bilstein shocks to provide extra wheel travel and control. By using top-of-the-line Bilstein shocks and proprietary TRD tuning, this 4Runner is able to let you conquer the terrain. Just because the 4Runner TRD Pro is built as rugged as they come doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice when it comes to a comfortable interior. This TRD Pro comes with heated front seats, navigation, and advanced Entune app suite, black SofTex seats with red stitching, and much more! We have loaded this 4Runner with factory options such as remote engine start, 3M paint protection film, cargo cover, cargo cross bars, exhaust tip, and door edge guards. The 3M paint protection film is a high-end accessory to keep your crisp white paint looking as pristine as ever when you take this beauty off into the wilderness. The cargo storage solutions we have added allow you to load up all your gear and a few friends and hit the open road and drive until the road ends… and then drive some more!

As you know, New Hampshire enacted a law prohibiting the use of handheld electronic devices while operating a vehicle. This law went into effect today, and is not limited to just cell phones; GPS, tablets, iPods, iPads, and other devices that require manual data entry are included as well. You are not allowed to use a handheld device even if stopped in traffic at a red light, stop sign or other delay in traffic. The only legally acceptable way to use an electronic device is to use a hands-free method such as an earpiece that uses Bluetooth or a similar product. If you do not have Bluetooth in your vehicle, you can have this functionality added after-market. Please give us a call and ask to speak with our accessories manager about after-market Bluetooth installation. We would love to help you! Drivers under the age of 18 will not be allowed to use any electronic device, even a hands-free one, unless they are reporting an emergency. The penalties for violations of this law are: a $100 fine for the first offense, a $250 fine for a second offense, and a $500 fine if a third offense occurs within two years of the second offense. If these penalties sound expensive, it is because distracted driving is so dangerous. There have been 116 fatal car accidents in New Hampshire since 2012 that were directly caused by distracted driving. This number does not reflect the number of distracted-driving accidents that only resulted in injury or property damage, which is a much higher number. In fact, sending or receiving text messages while driving makes you 23 times more likely to be an in accident. With safe driving in mind, here are some other useful tips that can help keep you safe on the road. Look beyond the car in front of you. Be sure to scan the horizon and look for potential hazards that could cause the car ahead of you to brake suddenly. If you only focus on the car ahead of you, your reaction time is limited to when you see that car’s brake lights turn on. If you look beyond the car ahead of you, you can anticipate sudden stops, and potentially avoid a collision. Be sure to check the sides of the road. You never know when someone will pull out from a side street. One of the best things about New Hampshire is the natural beauty of this state. But with the abundance of green spaces and wildlife comes the risk of a deer, bear, moose, or other animal darting out in front of you. So even on quiet country roads, stay alert for wildlife. Exercise caution at intersections. If you have stopped for a red light, do not punch the gas as soon as the light turns green. Wait a couple seconds to verify that the intersection has truly cleared and then accelerate slowly and smoothly. Not only is this safer, but you will get better fuel economy this way than if you accelerate and brake aggressively.

The Scion iM will be a sporty "hot hatch" that will appeal to a wide audience. Scion has announced an all-new hatchback model called the iM, which is slated for a fall 2015 release date to enter the very competitive “hot hatch” segment. The iM is based on the Toyota Auris, a hatchback that is popular in Europe, but which has not yet come to America. The Scion iM will feature the same tried-and-true 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine that powers the Toyota Corolla, and will have your choice of two transmissions: continuously variable (CVT) or 6-speed manual. The iM has strong visual cues such as LED daytime running lights, 17-inch alloy wheels, an aero kit, and an overall sleek design. Aside from the choice of transmission, there will be no factory options available; like its sibling the Scion iA, the iM will feature “mono-spec” trim. Mono spec trim means that there will be a generous number of standard options included but that there will not be a higher trim level available from the factory. The MSRP will be $18,460 for the manual transmission and $19,200 for the automatic. Standard options for the mono-spec trim include a 7-inch touch screen with Pioneer audio system, 17-inch alloy wheels, chrome tipped exhaust, piano black grille treatment, LED daytime running lights and LED taillights, heated exterior mirrors with LED turn indicators, dual-zone A/C, integrated back-up camera, engine immobilizer, hill-start assist, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. As is tradition for the Scion brand, numerous Scion parts will be available after the sale. So if you want to upgrade your navigation system or add TRD performance accessories, be sure to contact the Parts Department of your local Scion dealer. Caranddriver.com praised the interior design, stating that it is, “clearly derived from the Toyota family and looks great.” Scion has been playing up the fact that the iM will be “pet friendly,” with the options to add a tether, door guards, pet seat barrier, and even a pad to deter your dog from standing on the center console.

A Scion iA prototype Scion is getting ready to launch the all-new Scion iA, a spirited subcompact the is big on style, and small on price. The iA is Scion’s first-ever sedan, and Scion plans to use it to make a statement! With the iA, Scion intends t o bring premium-level technology to a budget-friendly car. The iA will come standard with a 7-inch multimedia touch screen with voice recognition, backup camera, 6-speaker display audio system, 16-inch alloy wheels, push-button start, chrome tipped exhaust, Bluetooth wireless technology, streaming-app capability, and low-speed per-collision avoidance that uses a laser sensor to warn the driver of impending collisions. The MSRP will be $15,700 for a manual transmission model, and $16,800 for one with an automatic transmission. Scion will offer the iA in what it calls “mono-spec” trim, meaning that the iA will feature a generous number of standard options, but that there will not be a higher trim level or more options available from the factory. Scion does plan, however, to offer additional accessories to be installed after the sale, including a navigation upgrade for the existing 7-inch display. The iA will be powered by a 1.5L 4-cylinder engine, and a 6-speed transmission, available in either manual or automatic. This engine configuration will produce 106 horsepower, 103 lb-ft of torque, and is expected to achieve 42 mpg on the highway. The iA will be available in black (Stealth), dark blue (Abyss), gray (Graphite), red (Pulse), bright blue (Sapphire), silver (Sterling), and white (Frost). Look for the Scion iA at your NH Scion dealership this fall.

Buying a car is a major investment. For most people, it is second only to their home in terms of expense. With that in mind, it is vital to choose the vehicle that is right for you. And while choosing a new vehicle can seem daunting, you can make this process easier by asking yourself a few simple questions. The biggest question to ask yourself is: “What will I use this vehicle for?” If you are looking for a commuter vehicle, you will probably want a fuel-efficient sedan or hatchback with plenty of legroom. If you need lots of hauling and towing capability, a pickup is the way to go. Taking stock of your requirements for a vehicle will start to narrow down to list of possible candidates. Two important (and related) questions to ask yourself are: “How much do I drive in a year?” and “How often do I trade cars?” If you tend to trade in cars every couple years and drive less than 15,000 miles per year, you may want to consider leasing your next vehicle rather than purchasing. Under a lease agreement, you pay to use a car for a certain period of time (generally 24 or 36 months) rather than paying to own the car. As a result, lease payments are lower than the payments would be to buy a vehicle outright. Determining whether to buy a new or used car or to lease a new car and the monthly payments of each option will let you know what kind of budget you are working with. Having determined the class of vehicle (mid-size sedan, full-size pickup, compact pickup, etc.) you are looking for and what your monthly budget is, you can begin to ask yourself about the features that are most important to you. Do you want an all-wheel drive vehicle, or does two-wheel drive work for you? Do you want amenities like heated leather seats and a power moonroof, or are you perfectly happy with a cloth interior? Do you want technology like navigation, hands-free calling, satellite radio, and back-up camera? By following the steps above, you will narrow down your choices to only a handful of vehicles. From there, you can do a little bit of independent research and find out how these vehicles fared in safety tests and product reviews like Consumer Reports. So remember that it’s easy to pick the right car by asking the right questions.